Portable combination container and dispenser



Feb. 25, 1958 H. E. BARNETT PORTABLE COMBINATION CONTAINER AND DISPENSER Filed 001'.. 5l, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .INVENToRjr 5 fhig/7 Feb. 25, 1958 H; E. BARNr-:TT 2,824,667

PORTABLE COMBINATION CONTAINER AND DISPENSER Filed 0011.52.51, 1956v 6 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 46 Q2 @W7/vz@ PORTABLE COMBINATION CONTAINER AND DISPENSER Harry E. Barnett, Chicago, lil.

Application October 31, 1956, Serial No. 619,422

5 Claims. (Cl. 221-266) This invention relates to dispensers and containers and more particularly to such devices as are adapted for the storage and dispensing of small objects, such as tablets, pills, capsules and the like. Specifically, the invention contemplates a fountain-pen-like structure having means for storing the aforementioned objects therein and meansv for dispensing or ejecting one or a predetermined number of said objects upon mechanical actuation of the dispenser.

It is well known that a problem has long existed amongst those who of necessity are wont to carry with them medicinal preparations in the form of tablets, pills, capsules or the like; food supplements and substitutes such as vitamins, saccharin, etc., in similar form; or any other objects of similar shape or form having various purposes and functions. The problem experienced by such people relates to the difficulty of properly storing or carrying such objects on the person in sanitary, crushproof condition.

Attempts to remedy the above-described situation have in most cases proved ineffective. The use of pillboxes or containers, which possibly might protect against excessive breakage or crushing, still did not solve the problem of preventing the admission of foreign matter, including dirt, dust, etc., into the container and thereby contaminating the contents thereof. Furthermore, such conventional containers have been objected to on the grounds that oftentimes it is inconvenient to carry such an object on the person, as for example, in the pocket or in a pocketbook. Moreover, pillboxes are apt to be lost or inadvertently misplaced. Additionally, patients suffering from certain maladies characterized by such symptoms as sudden, unpredictable attacks such as anginal attacks, which require immediate treatment or medicinal dosage, are sometimes unable to select from the box and administer the dosage to themselves in suicient time to ward olf the throes of the attack.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a medicinal dosage container and dispenser which will overcome all of the disadvantages mentioned hereinabove.

Another important object is to afford a combination container and dispenser which will accommodate pills, tablets, capsules or the like, of various sizes and shapes Within certain limits.

A further object is to provide a combination container and dispenser which may be filled directly without necessitating the handling of the medicinal preparations and likewise may be dispensed without requiring direct contact with the hands of the user. Y

Still another object is to afford a dispenser ofthe Character described having means for visibly determining the condition of the contents thereofand having further means associated. with the first-mentioned means lfor visibly determining the quantity of objects remainingin the dispenser. A

v'Still a -fu'rth'er'object is toA afford a dispenser in which the medicinal preparations may be quickly dispensed with l United States Patent O FIP ICC minimum physical exertion, and it is designed to avoid the social embarrassment usually associated with the use of conventional pillboxes.

Yet another object is to provide dispenser and container means for conveniently transporting or carrying objects such as described hereinabove. A related object is to provide such a device with means for insuring against inadvertent loss or misplacement of the dispenser itself.

Yet a further object is to provide a storage receptacle and dispenser which affords maximum protection against crushing or breakage of the contents thereof, and likewise insures against soiling or discoloration of the apparel of the person carrying the objects.

Still a further object is to provide a container and dispenser which insures maximum sanitation in the storage of medications such as may be administered orally. An object relating thereto is to provide a dispenser hav ing means therein for measuring the desired dosage and insuring the mechanical dispensing of the predetermlned or measured dosage, thereby eliminating the undesirable practice of returning excessively dispensed tablets to the container.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, arrangement and a combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of my invention, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the fol-lowing description, my invention, its mode of construction, assembly and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.

Referring to the drawings in which the same characters of reference are employed to indicate corresponding or similar parts throughout the several figures of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is anelevational View of a combination vcontainer and dispenser embodying the principles of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. l showing theI dispenser in a position after rotation through an arc of degrees in a horizontal plane;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, elevational sectional View of the dispenser in a position similarly to that illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view particularly illustrative of the dispensing mechanism, and showing the same in its normal, inoperative or static position;

Fig. 5 is a similar fragmentary sectional View showing the ejecting mechanism in an operative ejecting position;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the plane of line 6 6 in Fig. 4 o-f the drawings and viewed in the direction indicated;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the plane of line 7-7 in Fig. 3 of the drawings and viewed in the direction indicated; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective detail view of the principal` thereof in communication with said cavity, a dispensing cup pivotally mounted at the bottom of said cavity and adjacent said dispensing opening, said column of objects supported on said dispensing cup, and means for rotating said cup whereby to eject at least the bottom one of said objects through said opening, said means cornprising an actuating bar positioned through said magazine with the upper end thereof protruding above the same, the lower end of said actuating bar pivotally pinned in eccentric relationship to said dispensing cup, said storage magazine comprising a cylinder, said cylindcr formed with a second elongated cavity adjacent said storage cavity, said actuating bar positioned in free reciprocating relationship through said second cavity and a portion of the Wall of said cylinder adjacent said storage cavity formed of a transparent material for exposing to view the contents thereof, the top portion of said storage cavity formed with a iilling aperture through the wall of said cylinder, a tubular cap telescopically mountable over the top of said cylinder whereby the wall of said cap closes said aperture, and means associated with said cap for removably attaching said dispenser to a portion of the clothes of .the user thereof.

2. A portable dispenser of the character described comprising a fountain-pen-like device, said device comprising a cylindrical barrel and a tubular cap mounted over the top thereof, said barrel formed with a pair of elongated cavities, both of said cavities communicating with a single enlarged cavity at the bottom thereof, one of said cavities opening to the top of said barrel and the other cavity opening to a top portion of the side of the barrel, a bottom closure member closing the bottom of the barrel, said last-mentioned cavity comprising a pill magazine, said cylinder formed with a dispensing opening in the bottom side-wall thereof, and a dispensing mechanism for ejecting at least one pill from said magazine through said dispensing opening, said dispensing mechanism comprising a dispensing cup positioned at the bottom of said magazine and adjacent said dispensing opening, said cup centrally pivoted to the wall of said magazine, an actuating bar extending through the other cavity and protruding from the top thereof, the bottom end of said bar pivotally connected to said cup in radially-spaced olf-center relationship with the central pivot.

3. The dispenser of claim 2 in which said cap is formed with a central opening in the top thereof, an actuating button mounted on the top of said actuating bar, said button protruding through said central opening, and a spring coiled about a portion of said actuating bar, one end of said spring pinned to said bar and the other end bearing against a shoulder formed in said barrel.

4. In a portable dispenser for relatively small medication objects; a storage magazine having at least a pair of elongated cavities, at least one of said cavities capable of storing therein a column of said objects, the wall of said magazine having a dispensing opening formed near the bottom thereof in communication with said lattermentioned cavity, a top portion of the wall of said magazine having a lling opening formed therethrough in communication with said latter-mentioned cavity, a dispensing cup pivotally mounted at the bottom of said latter-mentioned cavity and adjacent said dispensing opening, said column of objects supported on said dispensing cup, 1an actuating bar positioned through said other cavity, said actuating bar operatively associated with said dispensing member whereby said actuating bar may be operated to rotate said dispensing member thereby ejectng at least one of said objects through said dispensing opening, and a closure member mounted on said storage magazine whereby to close said filling opening.

5. The portable dispenser of claim 4 in which said cavities are separated by at least one wall therebetween.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 585,457 Aleith June 29, 1897 886,823 Lammer May 5, 1908 1,223,189 Mann Apr. 17, 1917 2,434,806 Lpine Jan. 20, 1948 2,718,299 Atwater et al Sept. 20, 1955 2,772,772 Taylor Dec. 4, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 141,474 Great Britain Apr. 22, 1920 602,568 Germany Sept. 12, 1934 

